1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multiple signal conductors connecting a multisegment array generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to novel method and means of identifying at an array terminus the segment within which a particular signal originated or is received.
2. Background Art
Multisegment arrays are widely used in such varied applications as computer, telephone, and other types of communication networks, hydrophone arrays, and sensors buried in highways. Each such array is characterized by a communications cable serially joining the segments thereof and having a plurality of conductors. At each segment, a signal is inputted to or received from one or more of the conductors. The construction of the conductors varies depending on the application and the types of conductors to which the present application is applicable include individual electrical conductors, twisted wire pairs, coaxial cables, optical fibers, and pneumatic tubes, for example.
A particular problem with such arrays is the identification, at a terminus of the communications cable, the segment where a given conductor originates. Frequently, such identification is made by means of color coding or even trial-and-error. A substantial disadvantage of such an arrangement is that it is time consuming, often requiring having technicians located at both the terminus of the cable and at the segment being identified. A further disadvantage of such an arrangement is that sets of cable sections are not available to permit serially connecting segments without regard to which segments are connected by a particular cable section.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide method and means for identifying the origin of a conductor at the terminus of a multiconductor cable serially connecting a multisegment array.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such method and means that permits serial connection of segments in the array with identical cable sections.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.